Piano tuning pin lock

ABSTRACT

A lock for a piano tuning pin comprises a metal collar having a set screw for attachment to a desired pin. A plurality of heavy spring wire arms extend substantially radially outward from the ring to engage adjacent pins and prevent the selected pin from rotating under the influence of the stressed piano wire. The foregoing abstract is not to be taken either as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention. In order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be had to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing as well as to the claims.

United States Patent [191 Ticehurst Aug. 28, 1973 PIANO TUNING PIN LOCK [76] Inventor: Donald 1. Tlcehurst, 200 Lake Shore Dr., Brookfield, Conn. 06804 [22] Filed: June 20, 1972 [211 Appl. No.: 264,537

[52] US. Cl. 84/203 [51] Int. Cl Gl0c 3/10 [58] Field of Search 84/202, 203, 305

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 235,269 12/1880 McBride 84/203 259,604 6/1882 Thorpe 84/203 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 57,069 9/1911 Switzerland 84/202 246,801 5/1912 Gennany 84/203 Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Assistant Examiner Lawrence R. Franklin Attorney Robert A. Buckles, Garold E. Bramblett. Jr. et al.

571 77 ABSTRACT A lock for a piano tuning pin comprises a metal collar having a set screw for attachment to a desired pin. A plurality of heavy spring wire arms extend substantially radially outward from the ring to engage adjacent pins and prevent the selected pin from rotating under the influence of the stressed piano wire.

The foregoing abstract is not to be taken either as a complete exposition or as a limitation of the present invention. In order to understand the full nature and extent of the technical disclosure of this application, reference must be had to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing as well as to the claims.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PIANO TUNING PIN LOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A piano is tuned by rotation of a plurality of tuning pins which are seated in a wooden tuning block by means of very fine threads. Each pin supports one end of a wire piano string and is rotated by means of a wrench known in the trade as a tuning hammer. As pianos age, some of these pins become loose in the block and are unable to retain the proper tension on the string. This has been cured, in the past, either by replacement with an oversize pin, or by introducing into the hole in the tuning block, a hardenable fluid which requires some time to set.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tuning pin lock which can be easily and quickly installed by a piano tuner. Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the following description and appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises a lock for a piano tuning pin which includes a body member adapted to enage the pin to be tuned. At least one arm extends outwardly from the body member to engage adjoining pins and prevent the tuning pin from rotating.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a top view of a tuning pin lock of this invention, partially broken away to illustrate its construction;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the lock of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the lock of the invention installed on a piano tuning pin.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lock of the invention comprises a metal ring collar which is radially drilled and tapped to receive an Allen head screw 12. The size of collar 10 is such as to conveniently receive a conventional piano tuning pin and may have an internal diameter, for example, of five-sixteenths inch. Four additional radial holes 14 are drilled in collar 10 and the internal surface of collar 10 defines a recess 16 at each of holes 14. Into each of holes 14 is inserted a spring-type music wire 18, 20, 22, 24 which is headed, as at 26, within recess 16. The arms formed by the radial wires are illustrated in FIG. 1 as being in a K configuration. However, this is not a necessary feature and other configurations and numbers of arms may be used. Also the wire size is not critical but, in one embodiment, wire having a diameter of 0.055 inch has been employed with each arm having a total length of 1% inches.

The manner in which the invention is utilized may be best understood by reference to FIG. 3, which discloses a piano block 28 containing a plurality of conventional tuning pins 30, each having four flats at its upper end. One such pin 30a is incapable of holding pitch. The piano tuner places the lock over pin 30a in such a manner that the wire arms engage as many adjacent pins as possible. He then turns the pin 30a to tighten the piano wire above the desired pitch. Holding this tension on the wire, he then tightens the set screw 12 against one flat to tightly engage pin 30a. The wire should now remain at this higher pitch when the wrench is removed. If it does not, the step is repeated. Thereafter, the tuner tunes the string down by reverse rotation of pin 30a, causing the spring wire arms to bend as illustrated. They will thereafter continue to hold the tuning pin 30a against further rotation.

It is believed that the many advantates of this invention will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. It will also be apparent that a number of variatons and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from its spirit and scope. For example, the number and placement of the arms may be varied and may also be cut or bent by the tuner as required for a given location. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construed as illustrative only, rather than limiting. The invention is limited only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A lock for a piano tuning pin which comprises: a body member defining a circular opening adapted to encircle a pin to be tuned; means for securing said body member to said pin; and at least one resilient arm ex tending outwardly from said member to engage adjoining pins and prevent the tuned pin from rotating.

2. The lock of claim 1 wherein said body member is a collar.

3. The lock of claim 2 wherein said securing means comprises a set screw.

4. The lock of claim 2 wherein a plurality of arms extend substantially radially outward from said collar.

5. The lock of claim 4 wherein each of said arms comprises a steel wire.

6. The lock of claim 5 wherein said securing means comprises a set screw.

7. The lock of claim 1 wherein said arm comprises a steel wire.

8. The lock of claim 1 wherein a plurality of arms extend substantially radially outward from said body member. 

1. A lock for a piano tuning pin which comprises: a body member defining a circular opening adapted to encircle a pin to be tuned; means for securing said body member to said pin; and at least one resilient arm extending outwardly from said member to engage adjoining pins and prevent the tuned pin from rotating.
 2. The lock of claim 1 wherein said body member is a collar.
 3. The lock of claim 2 wherein said securing means comprises a set screw.
 4. The lock of claim 2 wherein a plurality of arms extend substantially radially outward from said collar.
 5. The lock of claim 4 wherein each of said arms comprises a steel wire.
 6. The lock of claim 5 wherein said securing means comprises a set screw.
 7. The lock of claim 1 wherein said arm comprises a steel wire.
 8. The lock of claim 1 wherein a plurality of arms extend substantially radially outward from said body member. 